Escape from the Everglades is the first book in the High Water series and blends contemporary mystery and suspense, dramatic situations, and high adventure that both boys and girls will love. A park ranger’s son hates the Everglades, and he thinks he’ll just die if he doesn't escape Southern Florida soon . . . and he’s right. After Parker Buckman is mauled and nearly killed by an alligator, he sees the glades as a place of death. All he wants to do is get out of the area, and he’s convinced he won’t truly be okay until he does. But he can’t leave until he finds a friend who goes missing. Escaping a bad situation isn’t a matter of a geographical change. Sometimes the best way to a brighter future is to face the darkness of your past. Gr 9 Up—Fourteen-year-old Parker and his best friend Angelica (Jelly) recently moved to the island town of Chokoloskee, where their park ranger dads patrol the Everglades National Park. The adventure begins when Parker, Jelly, and their friend Wilson decide to enter the Everglades on an airboat to set up a game camera for Jelly. Parker instantly has a sense of foreboding. When a giant gator approaches after Wilson throws it bread, all Parker can think about is what his dad would say. He is ready to head back to shore, but Wilson and Jelly want photos and videos. They get them, at the expense of Parker's arm. The pace of the story quickens as Parker's life begins to fade, but God has other plans for him. Even so, Parker is ready to escape this place and his father applies for a transfer, but not before Parker's friends convince him he must reenter the Everglades to overcome his fears. As Parker comes to terms with his new normal, Maria, Jelly's 17-year-old sister, struggles with issues of her own. Her mother has abandoned the family and Maria has taken up with Clayton, the principal's son and the town bully. The dual story line is woven together to create a tale focusing on integrity, abusive relationships, and trusting God. The creepiness of the Everglades will stay with readers. Parker and Jelly are coded as white and Wilson is described as half Miccosukee Indian. VERDICT Recommended for Christian fiction fans with a flair for drama and adventure and readers who are willing to accept that not all stories have a perfectly happy ending.—Susan Harris, Ridgeway H.S., TN He needs to find his friend. But that means facing gators . . . again. After Parker Buckman is mauled and nearly killed by an alligator in the Florida Everglades, he sees his new town as a place of death. All he wants to do is get out of the area, and he’s convinced he won’t truly be okay until he does. When his park ranger father gets a transfer, Parker feels his escape is finally within reach. But when a friend goes missing in the Glades, Parker knows he can’t leave until he finds her―or proof she’s really dead. Parker’s search takes him deep into the wilds, where he comes face-to-face with a rogue monster gator. Will Parker ever escape the death-grip of the Glades? Or will he find the strength to break free? Sometimes the only escape from danger isn’t running away but facing it head-on. Tim Shoemaker is the award-winning author of the Code of Silence series and the stand-alone suspense, Easy Target . Tim is a popular speaker, especially for school assemblies. When he isn’t on the speaking and teaching circuit, he’s busy working with students and writing more great stories!